12 Oakdale

Feeling like being run over by the proverbial Mack truck after getting the Covid booster shot yesterday, but thankful this is available for us old people. Our appointments at Publix had to be rescheduled from the previous day, because Grant had infections in two fingers and needed to see a doctor. Before we went to South Florida, I created a garden tunnel of pig wire and my anti-bird netting. This was to keep the rabbit I’ve seen from eating my new corn plants. I weighted down the edges with bricks. When we came back, no bunnies in the corn, but a dead black racer snake was tangled in the netting. My first thought was to lay the net out in the yard and let the ants eat away. That idea stank. Next plan, hang the net off the dock, so the fish could nibble. Good idea until I saw a big turtle investigating. I couldn’t face have it also caught. I hauled the netting up and only let a little part with the snake pieces hang in the water, then I obsessed all night. There wasn’t much snake gone ...

After no beach forms year, now a second trip in one week: 10 days with 8 at the beach. This time, a shore bird trip in South Carolina with Orange Audubon Society, lead by Craig* from US Fish and Wildlife. In three days, we visited 6 sites, recorded 100+ species, and saw thousands of birds. Firsts for me were greater and lesser black-backed gulls and Wilson’s, golden, and piping plovers. I learned how to distinguish a Sandwich tern by the color at the end of its bill: either mayonnaise or mustard, but I haven’t leaned what sex and/or age has which one. Perhaps I’ll look that up. My big accomplishment was learning that sitting down to use my scope is absolutely the way to use it. My back appreciated that. We birdied at a gated community, Harbor Island, with fantastic but private beaches. Would that it were a state park, open to the public, rather than just those with enough money to live inside the walls. I guess from the birds’ view, private might be better, with fewer people able to di...

I now live as far from the coast as I ever have except for the years I attended Georgia Tech in Atlanta. I need my beach. Not being able to come down next weekend to celebrate Patten’s birthday, we headed south on Friday and spent 4 days at the Hotel Sheldon on Hollywood Beach, old but maintained. Betsy calls it the dodgy Hotel Sheldon. Our plan was to go to his house Saturday night for dinner, but communication missed, and he had tickets for the first UM home football game. Instead, we joined him and Ryan for lunch (the usual Big Daddy’s hamburgers and fries), and they came to the beach Sunday morning for a swim and breakfast. The first 3 days, the water was warm and clear. Almost no waves. Like floating in a bathtub. Absolutely perfect. That morning, the wind was onshore, so waves and sargassum seaweed. Not as pleasant, but Patten spotted a baby tripletail fish while snorkeling in the weed. Friday night we joined other cabin camping friends and supped at one couple’s home, seeing the...